Dina Titus

This resolution expresses congressional support for National Public Lands Day, observed on September 26, 2026, and encourages Americans to visit public lands on this fee-free day. The resolution recognizes the cultural, spiritual, and economic significance of America's vast public lands holdings, which include over 618 million acres managed by agencies like the National Park Service, Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management. The legislation highlights that public lands generate substantial economic benefits, contributing nearly $697 billion to the U.S. economy through outdoor recreation in 2024 and supporting approximately 950,000 jobs. National Public Lands Day, first celebrated in 1994 and coordinated by the National Environmental Education Foundation, has involved millions of volunteers in restoration and maintenance efforts across these treasured places. The resolution contains no funding requirements or implementation timelines, as it is a symbolic measure expressing the House's support for the annual observance.

This bill establishes new requirements for companies seeking to build large data centers on federal public lands. The legislation classifies such projects as major federal actions requiring full environmental review under existing environmental law, which eliminates a streamlined approval process previously available. Data center developers must now provide the public with at least 45 days to comment on environmental studies and hold at least one public hearing in affected communities. The bill also requires detailed analysis of water consumption for electricity generation and cooling systems over a ten-year period, along with assessment of impacts on regional water supplies and drought resilience. Additionally, companies must submit workforce plans documenting job creation projections, the number of local workers hired, whether prevailing wages will be paid, and long-term employment expectations over a twenty-year period.

This resolution congratulates the Paseo Verde Little League baseball team from Henderson, Nevada, for winning the 2026 Little League World Series United States Championship. The team defeated the Hamilton West Side Little League of Ohio on August 29, 2026, completing an undefeated tournament run that included victories over teams from Montana, Washington, and Iowa. The resolution honors the thirteen players on the team, as well as the coaches, families, and volunteers who supported them. This is a ceremonial measure that does not authorize any spending or create any new programs; it simply recognizes the achievement of the young athletes and their community.

This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to transfer approximately 257 acres of federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management to the Clark County Water Reclamation District in southern Nevada at no cost to the district. The land transfer must be completed within 180 days of the district's request and is intended to support wastewater infrastructure projects that provide critical public services to the region. The Clark County Water Reclamation District will be responsible for paying all administrative costs associated with the conveyance, including land surveys. If the land ever stops being used for public purposes related to wastewater services, it will automatically revert back to the federal government. The bill expedites this process by waiving standard federal land use planning requirements that would normally apply to such transfers.

The VISITOR Act authorizes the State Department to use visa fees collected from applicants to reduce visa processing wait times and improve consular services. Specifically, the bill allows existing surcharges and fees collected from passport and immigrant visa applications to be redirected toward staffing and operations at consulates, rather than being deposited into general government accounts. The legislation affects millions of people seeking to visit or immigrate to the United States by establishing a goal that 80 percent of nonimmigrant visa applicants receive interviews within three weeks of applying, though the law recognizes that security concerns and the need to serve U.S. citizens abroad may require exceptions. The bill also permits the State Department to transfer unspent fee balances between accounts to support consular operations when necessary. No specific new funding appropriations are detailed in the bill, as it reallocates existing fee collections rather than authorizing new spending.

# Summary The Turkey Human Rights Promotion Act of 2026 establishes U.S. policy to promote democracy and human rights in Turkey by addressing what the bill describes as systemic political repression, censorship, and violations of international law. The legislation identifies concerns including the detention of an estimated 43,000 political prisoners, persecution of journalists and lawyers, suppression of internet freedoms, targeting of LGBTQIA+ individuals, and transnational repression of Turkish critics living abroad, including in the United States. The bill implements several enforcement mechanisms, most significantly requiring the Secretary of State to certify that Turkey has made demonstrable improvements in releasing political prisoners, ending misuse of counterterrorism laws, complying with European Court of Human Rights rulings, and ceasing transnational repression before security assistance can be provided, with a national security waiver available. The legislation also directs the State Department to impose sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act against Turkish officials responsible for human rights violations and to restrict visas for those engaged in extraterritorial repression. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of State to submit annual reports for five years detailing conditions of political prisoners, restrictions on freedoms, incidents of transnational repression, and government efforts to restrict political opposition. The legislation directs expanded U.S. funding and support for Turkish civil society organizations, independent media outlets, human rights documenters, and digital rights advocates, with no specific funding amount specified in the text.

The PRESERVE Act requires the General Services Administration (GSA) to identify and protect publicly commissioned artwork in federal buildings that are being sold, transferred, or demolished. When the GSA determines that surplus federal property contains covered art—including pieces from New Deal programs or the GSA Art in Architecture program—it must notify Congress and establish a Preservation Committee within 90 days to develop a plan for protecting the artwork. The Preservation Committee, which must include GSA art program staff and outside experts in art conservation or history, has 90 days to submit a preservation plan that may include keeping the art in place with protective covenants, moving it to museums or nonprofits, or other preservation methods. The GSA cannot dispose of or demolish any federal property containing covered art unless it certifies that the preservation plan is being implemented and the artwork will remain publicly accessible. The bill ensures that taxpayer-funded federal art remains protected and available to the public even when federal buildings change ownership or use.

This joint resolution seeks to block a proposed military sale to Turkey involving F110-GE-129E/F jet engines and related technical support for Turkey's TF-X aircraft development program. The sale, formally transmitted to Congress on June 24, 2026, includes defense articles, services, and technical data needed to integrate and test these engines. The resolution was introduced by Representative Dina Titus and eight other House members and was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. If passed by both chambers of Congress, the sale would be prohibited, effectively vetoing the Pentagon's proposed defense contract with Turkey. The legislation represents Congress exercising its authority under the Arms Export Control Act to disapprove foreign military sales by the executive branch.

The Air Carrier Access Amendments Act of 2026 strengthens protections for airline passengers with disabilities by creating a private right of action, meaning disabled passengers can now sue airlines directly in federal court for discrimination violations. The bill allows passengers to seek compensatory and punitive damages, as well as attorney's fees, within two years of a violation, without having to first exhaust administrative complaints with the Department of Transportation. It also mandates that the Secretary of Transportation assess civil penalties for specific violations including damage to wheelchairs or scooters, failure to provide proper boarding assistance, denial of boarding based on disability, and gross negligence toward disabled passengers. Additionally, the bill authorizes the Attorney General to bring civil lawsuits on behalf of affected passengers and requires referral to the Attorney General when airlines engage in patterns of discrimination or violations of significant public importance.

This bill establishes a three-year pilot program within the State Department to test whether a reserve corps of trained diplomatic personnel can effectively respond to foreign crises, evacuations, conflicts, and natural disasters. The program will recruit retired Foreign Service officers, starting with at least 250 members in the first year with potential to grow by up to 250 members annually, with most members at mid-level ranks and no more than 30 percent at senior levels. The Secretary of State must submit a detailed implementation plan to Congress within six months and conduct annual readiness evaluations of pilot members, who will receive training through State Department facilities and can be activated for temporary diplomatic missions as needed. Within three years, the Secretary must report to Congress on the pilot's effectiveness and recommend whether to establish a permanent Diplomatic Reserve Corps, including whether to expand eligibility to retired civil servants, other federal employees, and outside experts with relevant expertise. The pilot program automatically terminates after three years unless Congress votes to extend it.

This bill prevents the federal government from spending taxpayer money on settlements with certain high-ranking government officials and their family members, as well as individuals convicted in connection with the January 6 Capitol riot. The legislation specifically blocks any payment of $50,000 or more to these "covered persons" through settlement agreements, and it explicitly prohibits funding a settlement in a case called Trump v. Internal Revenue Service. Before any settlement payment of $50,000 or more can be made, the Attorney General must notify Congress at least 90 days in advance and provide detailed justification, a complete breakdown of all payments, and certification from the Justice Department's Inspector General that the settlement is legal and follows ethical standards. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to complete a study within 90 days of enactment to determine whether the Trump v. IRS settlement complies with federal appropriations law.

The AVERT Future Violence Act of 2026 directs the Attorney General to study the connection between animal cruelty and future human violence. The study, to be completed within three years, will examine what factors lead people to commit animal cruelty and whether such behavior can predict who might commit violence against humans. The bill also establishes a grant program to help states, local governments, courts, animal welfare organizations, and victim service providers develop programs to detect animal cruelty early, intervene with offenders, and prevent future violence through training, treatment, and improved data tracking systems. The legislation authorizes $2 million for the research study and $2 million for the grant program, both to remain available until spent.

The PATH to the Foreign Service Act creates a streamlined career pathway for former employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to transition into the Foreign Service at the State Department. Former USAID Foreign Service members who are appointed to State Department positions can enter the Foreign Service Officer career track at a grade and tenure level matching their previous rank, service time, and performance record, without needing to take the Foreign Service Entrance Exam if they previously met USAID entry requirements and served in good standing. The bill also requires the State Department to award hiring preference points to applicants with prior USAID service, whether they worked as Foreign Service officers or civil servants, and ensures that USAID service counts fully toward Foreign Service seniority, retirement eligibility, and other career milestones. The Secretary of State must issue implementation guidance within 180 days of the bill's enactment to ensure consistent application across the department. These provisions are set to expire five years after the law takes effect.

This resolution amends the House Rules to ban Members of Congress, House officers, and House employees from participating in prediction markets. Specifically, it prohibits them from entering into contracts or agreements that allow them to profit from betting on whether specific events will occur, such as political outcomes or policy decisions. The ban covers prediction market trades but includes exceptions for lawful insurance and sports betting. The resolution also expresses the sense of the House that the executive and judicial branches should adopt similar restrictions on prediction market participation for their respective officials and employees. No specific funding or implementation timeline is included in the measure.

This bill creates a ten-member Commission on Americans Living Abroad to study how federal laws and policies affect United States citizens living overseas. The commission will examine topics including tax compliance burdens, access to federal benefits and veterans services, financial reporting requirements, voting rights, and the ability of expatriates to conduct business and access banking services abroad. The commission will be bipartisan with members appointed by congressional leaders and selected from government employees with relevant expertise and private citizens who have lived abroad or represent overseas Americans. The commission must submit an initial report with findings and recommendations within one year of enactment, followed by a status update one year later detailing administrative actions taken by federal agencies in response to those recommendations. The bill authorizes two million dollars annually for fiscal years 2027 and 2028 to fund the commission's operations, and the commission will automatically terminate after submitting its final update.

This House resolution commends the Vatican for maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which has made the Holy See Taiwan's only official European diplomatic ally since 1942. The resolution affirms Congress's support for preserving this diplomatic relationship and encourages expanded engagement between Taiwan and the Vatican, including increased high-level visits between church officials. The resolution also recognizes Taiwan's commitment to promoting religious freedom internationally, contrasting it with China's restrictions on religious rights, and expresses concern that China violated a 2018 agreement with the Vatican by appointing bishops without papal approval. As a resolution rather than legislation, this measure does not create law, impose requirements, or allocate funding but serves to express the House's official position and support for maintaining Vatican-Taiwan diplomatic ties. The resolution has no implementation timeline or budget impact.

The Higher Education Marijuana Research Act of 2026 streamlines the process for colleges and universities to conduct marijuana research by making them priority applicants for federal licenses and allowing them to obtain marijuana from state or tribal regulatory bodies and law enforcement agencies. Students and researchers participating in approved, controlled marijuana studies would be protected from losing federal financial aid, federal funding for their institutions, or experiencing immigration consequences as a result of their participation. The bill establishes a new Drug Enforcement Administration Office of University Relations to provide technical assistance and establishes a working group to recommend ways to simplify the registration process for marijuana research at higher education institutions. The legislation creates two grant programs totaling fifteen million dollars annually through 2030, one through the National Institute of Drug Abuse for medical and public health research and another through the Department of Agriculture for agricultural studies, with priority given to institutions in states or tribal lands where marijuana is legal and to minority-serving colleges. The bill requires the Drug Enforcement Administration to submit annual reports to Congress tracking applications for marijuana research licenses from different types of applicants.

This bill clarifies and expands how public transit agencies can use federal funding to acquire land and property for transportation projects. Specifically, it amends federal law to allow transit agencies receiving federal assistance under various transit programs to purchase, lease, or otherwise secure real property interests before environmental reviews are fully completed, as long as the acquisition is otherwise permitted by law. The bill also prohibits physical development or improvement of acquired property until all required environmental reviews are finished. The Federal Transit Administration must update its guidance and regulations within six months of the bill's enactment to implement these changes. The legislation applies to recipients of federal transit assistance across multiple programs, including transit, commuter rail, and passenger rail projects.

The Diplomatic Reserve Corps Act of 2026 establishes a new independent personnel system within the State Department to maintain a trained pool of diplomatic professionals available for rapid deployment during crises and emergencies. The Corps will grow from 250 members in fiscal year 2026 to 1,000 by 2028, with members recruited from U.S. citizens age 21 and older, preferring veterans, across four service categories with varying term lengths and compensation levels. The bill sets out comprehensive rules governing appointments, compensation (including salary schedules and performance bonuses), benefits (health insurance, death benefits, and retirement through the Foreign Service Pension System), training requirements (at least 24 days monthly), and the Secretary of State's authority to call members to active duty for up to 365 days during diplomatic emergencies and crises, capped at 25 percent of Corps strength. The legislation creates a dedicated Treasury account funded through congressional appropriations to cover salaries, training, recruitment, and operational expenses, with appropriated funds available for two fiscal years. Corps members must meet mandatory retirement at age 65 (with limited exceptions), can voluntarily retire at age 60 with 20 years of service, and are subject to performance evaluations and potential termination for cause, with protections including due process rights and separation benefits for those with substantial service.

This bill directs the U.S. State Department to make disability rights a central focus of American foreign policy and diplomacy. The legislation requires the department to develop a formal disability rights strategy within 180 days, establish and strengthen an Office of International Disability Rights headed by a Senate-confirmed Ambassador-at-Large, and allocate $6 million annually through 2030 to support these efforts. The bill also mandates that the State Department improve workplace accessibility for employees with disabilities, ensure all overseas embassies and consulates meet accessibility standards, and provide mandatory disability policy training to all State Department staff and diplomatic officials. Additionally, the law creates the Judy Heumann Foreign Service Disability Fellowship program to train at least two government employees annually in disability rights advocacy, requires annual reporting to Congress on implementation progress, and calls for improved data collection on disability-related foreign assistance spending. Overall, the bill affects State Department employees with disabilities, people with disabilities living in countries receiving U.S. aid, and overseas facility users by requiring systemic changes to how the U.S. conducts international relations and manages its global diplomatic infrastructure.

The Thermal Runaway Reduction Act of 2026 directs the Department of Transportation to establish new safety regulations for transporting lithium-ion batteries within two years. The regulations will require batteries offered for commercial transport to have a maximum charge of 30 percent of their capacity under normal conditions, with higher charges only permitted under special approval. The bill also requires new international impact tests to help batteries withstand transport accidents without dangerous thermal runaway events, and mandates guidance on safely transporting damaged or defective batteries. Additionally, the bill establishes a $10 million grant program through 2031 for fire suppression facilities to develop and test innovative technologies that can suppress battery fires, and creates a separate grant program to help fire departments purchase equipment like thermal runaway suppression blankets and diagnostic tools to respond to lithium battery incidents.

The Firefighter Lithium-ion Awareness and Readiness Enhancement (FLARE) Act directs the Department of Transportation to establish new safety regulations for transporting lithium-ion batteries and cells, which are widely used in everything from electric vehicles to consumer electronics. The bill specifically aims to help firefighters better respond to "thermal runaway" — dangerous fires that occur when lithium-ion batteries overheat and catch fire — by expanding federal grant programs that provide training and equipment for suppressing these specialized fires. The legislation adds lithium-ion batteries to existing definitions and grant authorities under the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act, allowing federal funds to support local fire departments in acquiring thermal runaway suppression tools and training programs. By establishing clearer regulations and dedicating resources to firefighter preparedness, the bill seeks to protect both emergency responders and the public as lithium-ion battery use continues to grow across the country.

The Secure Tracks Act strengthens railroad safety by requiring more frequent inspections of train tracks. The bill mandates that main line tracks used for faster train speeds undergo visual inspections by qualified inspectors at least twice per week, with at least one day between inspections, and requires any detected defects to be fixed immediately. The legislation also establishes new automated inspection requirements using Track Geometry Measurement Systems, with frequency varying by track class and usage level—ranging from inspections once per year for lightly used tracks to inspections every six to twelve days for high-speed tracks. The bill prohibits the Transportation Secretary from granting waivers that would weaken safety standards, and requires the Secretary to update federal railroad regulations within one year to implement these new inspection protocols. The legislation affects all freight and passenger railroads operating in the United States and aims to prevent derailments and accidents through enhanced oversight of track conditions.

H.R. 7477 would prohibit commodities exchanges and other entities regulated under the Commodity Exchange Act from offering trading contracts based on sporting events, athletic competitions, or casino-style games. The bill defines "sporting events" broadly to include professional, college, and amateur sports—whether real, simulated, or virtual—and "casino-style games" to include slot machines, blackjack, poker, roulette, and similar games offered in casinos or online. The legislation targets financial entities that list, facilitate, or clear such contracts, effectively preventing the creation of betting markets on these events through commodities exchanges. There is no specific funding allocation or implementation timeline mentioned in the bill text. The measure was introduced in February 2026 and referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

USMCA Travel and Tourism Resiliency ActThis bill directs the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to advocate for the establishment of a Travel and Tourism Trade Working Group during the next joint review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).Among other duties, the working group must (1) engage in discussions and pursue activities to enhance the international competitiveness of the travel and tourism industry in North America and increase related exports; and (2) provide a forum to exchange information, collaborate on policies, and consider initiatives related to travel and tourism in North America.